Pleated fabric construction



July 13, 1965 Fig.1-

J. w. ENG 3,193,844

INVENTOR. W W JESS/E w. s/va ATTO'R/VEYS United States Patent "cc3,193,844 PLEATED FABRIC CONSTRUCTION Jessie W. Eng, 1811 40th Ave.,Oakland, Calif. Filed Nov. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 323,396 4 Claims. (Cl.2-211) This invention relates to a pleated fabric construction forwomens garments such as dresses, skirts and the like.

One important object of the present invention is to provide a pleatedmaterial for wearing apparel having a unique construction that will giveit some degree of flexibility and elasticity when it is worn so that itcan be easily fitted and will readily conform to the desired contour ofthe wearer.

In conjunction with the aforesaid object, it is another object of myinvention to provide a unique pleat construction for garments such aswomens blouses and skirts that when combined with fabric material ofcertain basic color designs will flex and spread apart in apredetermined pattern arrangement to produce an attractive color designeffect when being worn. For example, with my invention a pleated skirtcan be made having the outward appearance of a single solid color andyet when the skirt is properly fitted normal body movements of thewearer will cause the material to stretch slightly and reveal thenormally hidden underpleated areas having another color. As the materialis stretched and distorted these underpleated areas produce a uniquemottled design effect that is very attractive.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description of one embodimentthereof presented in conjunction with the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation showing a womens skirt having the pleatconstruction according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view showing a piece of striped fabric before being folded and sewn to form pleats in accordance with myinvention;

FIG. 3 is a fagmentary view in perspective showing a typical series ofpleats embodying the principles of the invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the stitch constructionin greater detail;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of a piece of pleated fabric according tothe invention as it appears when the pleats are stretched apart duringnormal wear.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a womens skirt having a seriesof pleats or plaits 14 extending entirely around its periphery which areconstructed in accordance with the invention. Although I have shown mypleat construction utilized on a skirt this is for illustrative purposesonly because it is the type of garment on which the invention can beused. However it should be understood that in a broader sense theinvention may be readily applied to other types of garments as well suchas shirts and blouses.

In forming my pleat construction a single piece of any suitable fabricmaterial may be utilized. However, in order to fully exploit the uniquedesign effect that can be achieved when my pleated material is stretchedduring use, it is preferable that the material used have a multicolordesign. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the piece of material 11 has aseries of stripes 12 and 13 of alternating colors as indicated by theshading. When this piece of material 11 is sewn together to form pleats,only one series of stripes will be visible, so that in the unstretchedcondition the garment will appear to have a uniform color.

In FIG. 3 the piece of material 11 is shown after being sewn together inaccordance with the principles of the 3,193,844 Patented July 13, 1965invention to form a series of pleats 14. In forming these pleats thealternate stripes 12 are folded together along a crease 15 formed alongtheir center line. If a plain colored cloth is used, the necessary foldscan merely be made at even intervals. The unfolded stripes 13 orportions between the folded portions 12 are the ones that are normallyexposed and thus form the exterior pattern on the pleated fabric of thefinished garment. After the folds on the stripes or sections 12 are madethe adjacent exposed stripes 13 are then connected together but only atpredetermined intervals by evenly spaced apart stitches 16. Theseintermittent stitch connections are preferably formed by a thread 17that extends the length of the pleat and lies on the underside of eachstripe portion 13 adjacent and parallel to one edge thereof. The stitchconstruction 16 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 4. From the outsideof the garment the thread 17 and the connecting stitches 16 arecompletely hidden and remain invisible even when the garment isstretched.

An important feature of the invention is the spacing and location ofthese tie-down stitches 16. On adjacent plates the stitches are spacedthe same distance apart but are offset so they are not in alignmenthorizontally. Consequently when the pleated fabric is caused to bestretched apart as shown in FIG. 5, a series of spaced apart pockets 13are formed which exposes portions of the differently colored interiorstripes 12. The overall effect is a highly attractive multi coloredpattern.

The foregoing pleat construction can be made either by hand or by amachine stitching operation wherein the stitches will be made atpredetermined spaced apart intervals as the material is advanced throughthe machine.

When applied to particular garments such as the skirt 10, the pleats 14can be formed completely around the skirt or only at predeterminedlocations on the sides or at any other locations in any desiredcombination. The overall effect of the pleats is to give the garment aunique living effect as well as to afford added comfort due to theelasticity provided.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, manychanges in construction and Widely differing embodiments andapplications of the invention will suggest themselves without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention. The disclosures and thedescription herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be inany sense limiting.

I claim:

1. In a garment for women, a pleat construction comprising: a series ofspaced apart longitudinal first portions each being folded togetheralong their longitudinal center line; second unfolded longitudinalportions separating said first portions and having a different colorthan said first portions; and thread stitches connecting said first andsecond portions together at predetermined evenly spaced apart intervalsalong a line coincident with the outer edge of said first portions andalong one side edge of said second portions, said thread stitches beinglaterally offset from a line generally perpendicular to the pleats onadjacent pleats, but being in alignment with a said perpendicular lineon alternate pleats in a series, whereby when the garment is stretched,the pleats spread apart to form a plurality of open pockets revealingsaid first longitudinal portions having a different color.

2. The garment construction as described in claim 1 including a threadfor forming said thread stitches extending longitudinally underneath andalong one edge of each of said second longitudinal portions.

3. A pleated skirt for women having a large plurality of relativelynarrow pleats and comprising: a series of spaced apart longitudinalfirst portions each being folded together along their longitudinalcenter line and normally than said first ,portions; and means extendinglongitudinally undersaid' second portions along one ."edge thereof andforming stitches forrconnecting said first and second portions togetheratpredetermind evenly spaced apart intervals alonga line coincident withthe outer edge of e 7 said first portions, said thread stitches beinglaterally oifset from aline generally perpendicular to the-pleatsonadjaa series o'f spaced apart longitudinally extendinglfirst portions,each being folded together along their 1on gitudinal center line;-

at least an equal number'of longitudinally extending second portionsinterconnecting said first portions along continuous longitudinalfoldlines;

and means for connecting adjacent second portions on opposite sides ofeach first iportion together at preidetermined"longitudinally" spacedapart intervals along the continuous fold lines of each first portion,said latter means occurring at laterally oifset locations on adjacentpleats.

. cent pleats but being in alignment with a said perpendicu- 10lirline-on alternate pleats in a series, whereby when the f V -R t CitedbyjtheiExaminel-r s irt is stretched the 'pleatsspreadapart to form alurality of open pockets revealing said first longitudinal I ED STATESPAlgNTS portions having a dififerent'color. g a 72,424,398 7/47 Koret2-211 4;" A pleat construction'for an article of clothing-corn- 5;2,646,571 7/53 Terry '2211 prising: g g 2,916,741 12/59 'Weiser; 221l fJORDAN FRANKLIN; Prim y Examiner:

1. IN A GARMENT FOR WOMEN, A PLEAT CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING: A SERIES OFSPACED APART LONGITUDINAL FIRST PORTIONS EACH BEING FOLDED TOGETHERALONG THEIR LONGITUDINAL CENTER LINE; SECOND UNFOLDED LONGITUDINALPORTIONS SEPARATING SAID FIRST PORTIONS AND HAVING A DIFFERENT COLORTHAN SAID FIRST PORTIONS; AND THREAD STITCHES CONNECTING SAID FIRST ANDSECOND PORTIONS TOGETHER AT PREDETERMINED EVENLY SPACED APART INTERVALSALONG A LINE COINCIDENT WITH THE OUTER EDGE OF SAID FIRST PORTIONS ANDALONG ONE SIDE EDGE OF SAID SECOND PORTIONS, SAID THREAD STITCHES BEINGLATERALLY OFFSET FROM A LINE GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE PLEATS ONADJACENT PLEATS, BUT BEING IN ALIGNMENT WITH A SAID PERPENDICULAR LINEON ALTERNATE PLEATS IN A SERIES, WHEREBY WHEN THE GARMENT IS STRETCHED,THE PLEATS SPREAD APART TO FORM A PLURALITY OF OPEN POCKETS REVEALINGSAID FIRST LONGITUDINAL PORTIONS HAVING A DIFFERENT COLOR.